These are strange days, indeed, in which we live. I've considered myself a Republican since before I could vote, going back to Ronald Reagan's first term in office.
Of late, however, I find myself repeatedly speaking critically of Republican governors (I did last winter, when Governor Rounds came out with his Leftist-Lite budget agenda of pre-K, HPV, and such...and now with another former governor), and of a Baptist preacher. Hm. Anyway, let's press on.
Thanks to Free Republic, I came across this today.
From the Arkansas Leader in 2004:
Other governors use their clemency power only rarely, while Huckabee has made it routine. As we've told you before, he has issued more than 700 pardons and commutations during his eight years in office – more than 137 this year alone – and more than his three predecessors combined.
Here are the figures for neighboring states since 1996, when Huckabee took office (and keep in mind the population of these states is nearly 20 times ours):
>> Louisiana – 213.
>> Mississippi – 24.
>> Missouri – 79.
>> Oklahoma – 178.
>> Tennessee – 32.
>> Texas – 98 (includes 36 inmates released because they were convicted on drug charges with planted evidence).
Total: 624 vs. Huckabee's 703.
Governors in neighboring states almost never grant killers clemency, while Huckabee has commuted the sentences of a dozen murderers.
"That is extremely rare here," said one corrections official in a neighboring state.
Huckabee even granted more than Bill Clinton when he was governor of Arkansas, and Clinton is definitely no stranger to letting criminals off easy (remember Pardon-gate?).
What do other Arkansas public officials think of this?
Is it any wonder that Arkansas prosecutors from both parties are upset with Huckabee, a Republican?
Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Herzfeld, a long-time critic of Huckabee's clemencies and a Democrat, said, "These facts demonstrate that our governor has an extremely skewed approach to granting executive clemency. He seems to believe that granting clemency to murderers, rapists, drunk drivers and other convicted criminals is a part of the everyday affairs of the governor's office rather than something that he should approach cautiously and selectively. Executive clemency should be rare, and there should be very specific reasons."
Jegley and Herzfeld agree that clemencies are not always wrong, but granting them without restraint makes a mockery of the jury system and invites cynicism.
You kinda expect this sort of behavior from bleeding-heart liberals who always side with criminals, but it's disgusting from a Republican.
When considering this, also consider the Wayne Dumond incident, his weak stand in the War on Terrorism, the wishy-washy answer he gave on civil unions, can't say "no" to illegal aliens, can't say no to tax hikes to support more government spending, can't say no to global warming disciples, can't say no to those who want more socialized medicine...
The evidence that Huckabee lacks the moral fortitude to make tough decisions and be firm where it is called for is getting pretty enormous.
I'm sorry folks. Huckabee may be pro-life, but other than that and some relatively firm support of traditional marriage, he pretty much fits the description of that beast of the field known as the RINO.
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